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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> Fill Flash Question
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 01/11/2006 11:19:08 AM · #1
Ok, so i do alot of portraits at the beach, and finally i learnd how to shoot manual, because AV wasnt doing it for me,
so i meter off of the sky so that becomes properly composed,
then i use my 580 EX to fill in the front, the problem is that its too bright, i use the flash compensatioin button on my camera and turn it all the way down and move back and its to dark,

so my question is, do i need to find a sweet spot where the flash isnt to bright,

the problem wiht that spot is that i am too far away i want to get closer, so do i need a Canon 70-200 to get close but far enough away so im not blowing out the subject.
01/11/2006 11:39:08 AM · #2
Fill flash works automatically (in theory) on canon's in Tv and Av modes. the camera sets the exposure for the ambient light and the flash fills in the subject, so to speak. Unless you lock the exposure with the * button the camera will take a last second reading at the focus point - this can dramatically change the lighting.

I use a Metz and a lightsphere and run in metz's auto mode and the camera in manual mode - i use the camera meter (center weighted in manual mode only, on a rebel) and then i adjust ap to underexpose by 2 stops and the flash does it's job rather well.

this should work in ettl mode i think. have not tried it as ettl mode regularly underexposes shots for me.
 01/11/2006 11:46:23 AM · #3
I suggest that you try shooting in M. You can then use FEC to control the flash exposure and the shutter speed to control the ambient exposure. Unless you set the flash to M, it will still use E-TTL to determine flash illumination.

There's an excellent pdf file out there that goes into great detail about all the modes and how they work with E-TTL. I'd post it, but I can't find it right now.

If you just want to justify buying a 70-200 lens, then sure, you "need" it.

I also suggest getting a Lightsphere II as well.
01/11/2006 12:01:34 PM · #4
I do shoot M, and i use the ETTL II as the fill flash, then i set the flash power on the camera and its always blown out.

What i think you are saying is i shoud FEC it. wiht the * button before i shoot,

alos I am NOT metering off of the subject I meter off of the sky so the sky is exposed correctly, and the ETTLII to fill, but its too blown out,
so this * button, how does it work.

Message edited by author 2006-01-11 12:04:09.
 01/11/2006 12:35:25 PM · #5
Can someone explain, how to properly meter off of the sky and use the flash to fill the subject properly, using the * button,
01/12/2006 10:33:10 AM · #6
so last night i was reading my manual aboutthe FEC *. button,

and to me it sounds like i can FEC *, my subject, then meter off the background and take my picture to get a good exposure on the subject and the background,
i wish i was at home so i could show you an example of my problem.
01/12/2006 11:49:03 AM · #7
Well, I think it's quite simple, I guess.

I'm a Nikon shooter and I use the sb800, but I think the ttl or i-ttl or somehting modes will work wuite the same.

Your main problem is because you are shooting in manual mode, and this way you are disabling ittl reading from the fill in flash (I guess). In manunal mode you should be metering in your subject, and that will blow away the sky. But there is a very simple and effective way to achieve what you want.

It doesent matter if you use shutter priority or apretture priority or even "P" mode (I don't know if in canon it is called the same). Forget the manual mode for know. I guess that you want to use aperture priority in order to contol dof, but at the beach you'll always be dealing with very closed appertures, at least f8 and up (unless theres some very heavy clouds). SO if I where you I would use P mode (the one the camera sets up the shutter speed and apperture but let's you vary the match) and use spot metering at the sky. this way you assure that it is knot blown out. Measure, then use EL/FL button only set to lock exposure and lock it. Then I would compose the shot and focus on the subject and shoot. As simple as that. This way you preserve the metering on the sky/background and your fill-flash iluminates your subject that otherwise would become darker comparing to the sky.

If you insist in using manual mode I think you'll do better if you set your flash also in manual mode and by trying and eror try to find out the best output for each exposure.
 01/12/2006 12:51:46 PM · #8
Take a read through this: EOS Flash at Photo Notes

It's a lot more thorough than the manual.
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